Coin counting machine



July 11, 1939. c, DOWNEY 2,165,241

com COUNTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 26, 1935 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 F fj 33 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sq m6 gm s? Q Q 9% WEJ Fo N m. QN NN mww sh wQ m3 AJ 5:

July 11, 1939. c. L. DOWNEY COIN COUNTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 26, 1935 ATTORNE July 11, Q L DOWNEY 2,165,241

COIN COUNTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 26, 1935 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. CJF/VKV/A flaw:-

Fu 92 4 @ZQt/ZZ;

ATTORNEY.

July 11, 1939. L, D WNEY 2,165,241

COIN COUNTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 26, 1955 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 u. 1.1 1.1 v IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII ||||l Iv INVENTOR. 542 (ZErrEA/f A. flpA/A f ATTORNE y 1, 1939. c. L. DQWNEY COIN COUNTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 26, 1955 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 A27 dv/A/ July 11, 1939. Q DQWNEY 2,165,241

COIN COUNTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 26, 1955 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 IN VENTOR.

' .15 czf/yfA f A. Jam/y ATTOR Y Patented July 11, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

This invention' relates to a coin counting machine, this application being a continuation-in part of my co-pending application Serial No. 612,781 filed May 21, 1932.

Among the objects ofthis invention is to provide a machine of this character that can handle all metallic coins between given maximum and minimum sizes, with a minimum of effort and time in setting the machine therefor. In such respects, the present invention constitutes an improvement upon the subject matter of the appli cation referred to.

An object of the invention is to provide simple and effective means for adjustingthe mechanism and parts thereof so as to accommodate the device as a whole, to coins of different widths and thicknesses.

A further object of this invention is to provide means by which the counting wheels are movable only by a pawl or dog on the end of the star wheel shaft, which form of control dispenses with spring pressure which otherwise would apply stress to the feed roller, star wheel and the dog on the star wheel shaft.

A still further object is to provide a feed roller adjustment that is within sight and easy regulation of the operator.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of the entire machine.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the entire machine.

Figure 3 is a plan View of the coin raceway and adjusting means for coin width.

Figure 4 is an elevation of the same.

Figures 5 and 6 are plan and edge views respectively of the counting wheel.

Figure 7 is a detailed plan view of the counting and stop mechanism viewed from below, the combined ratchet wheels 8| and 82 being omitted, but indicated in broken lines, and showing the motion followed in allowing traverse of one tooth.

Figure 8 is a plan view of the adjusting means for coin thickness.

Figure 9 is an elevation of the same.

Figure 10 is a plan view of a bag holder adapted to be held by the delivery chute.

Figure 11 is an elevation of the bag holder showing a bag attached.

Figure 12 is a plan view of a coin reservoir retainer adapted to be inserted into the base of the machine.

Figure 13 is a plan view of a coin reservoir while Figure 14 is an elevation of the same.

Fig. 15 is an enlarged fractional view ofone end of the mounting for the means for moving coins through the raceway 31.

Fig. 16 is a sectional View on line i5--|6 of Fig. 15.

Fig. 17 is a fractional detail view showing the means for stopping the counting of coins after a selected number of coins have been counted.

Fig. 18 is a fractional, diagrammatical illustration of parts shown in Fig. 17, and showing the position of parts when the counting of coins has been stopped by the means shown therein.

Fig. 19 is a view similar to Fig. 13 and showing the same parts when one of them has been initially moved to effect release of said parts.

Fig. 20 is a view similar to Figs. 18 and 19 and showing the parts fully released and conditioned preparatory to counting another selected number of coins.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, my machine comprises a base 2%, an upper platform 2i, a plurality of legs 22 spacing and joining said base and said platform, a cradle 23 for supporting some of the mechanism below the platform, a sheet metal supporting housing 24 fitting between the platform and base, a perforated coin tray 25 resting on its own legs 28 on the-rear oi the platform and retained by thumb screws 21. The coin tray is adapted to fit about one half of and slightly above a centrifugal disc 28 which is adapted to be rotated at a lively speed by manual or power means thru a crank 29. The cradle 23 is for the purpose of supporting the drive from said crank to the disc 28.

Power derived from crank 29 also drives a fricticn feed roller 38 which is adapted to transfer coins thrown from the disc 28 thru a raceway 3i of adjustable width thence into a hopper 32 and one of a series of cylindrical coin reservoirs 33 of different diameters, tiltably attached thereunder or in lieu of them a bag 35. A bag holder 35 may for this purpose be attached by prongs 36 to the upper edge of the hopper. It is provided with two sharp pins 37 which are adapted to pierce the bag. Since means for tilting the cylindrical coin reservoir 33 are not required when a bag is used and are in fact in the way, a pivot holder 38 is provided which is detachable from. the edge or the base 26. The pivot holder contains a recess (not shown) into which a pivot 39'is adapted to fit, each of said pivots being permanently attached to the side of one coin reservoir 33. Attachment is by a snap detent (not shown) which is adjustable by screw 40. Attachment of the pivot holder 38 to base 20 is by two prongs 41 each of which is constricted near its tip, as is pivot 39 for the reception of snap detents. Reservoirs 33 are each pro vided with flared tops 42 in order to guide coins from the bottom of hopper 32 into the coin reservoirs. The pivot 39 is on that vertical point of each reservoir so that the portion of said reservoir below it is the heavier and the flared top 52 will be pressed against the bottom of hopper 32 by the weight of said reservoir portion. To discharge stack of coins from the reservoir, it is therefore, only necessary to further tilt the latter without removing it from the machine.

The means for driving the disc 23 are conventional and for this reason not shown altho they will now be described. A shaft 43 extends from the crank 29 all the way across the machine and is rotatably carried in bearings in the cradle 23 at both ends. Midway, this shaft carries a spiral gear which engages another such gear at right angles thereto, the latter being carried on a vertical shaft extending from a boss 44 at the center of disc 23 to a bearing in the lower cross member 45 of a cradle 23 and being about half as large as the driving gear. The described mechanism is substantially as shown and explained in my Patent 1,843,358, except that herein, manual means are provided for operation of said parts. The boss 44 prevents any coins from lying at the center of the disc and so insures that all of them will be at once thrown to the circumference.

On the shaft 43 a sprocket 46 is carried between the crank 29 and the cradle bearing. A chain 4? extends over this sprocket to another 48, on a shaft 49 which drives the friction feed roller 35. This shaft is mounted above platform ii, the chain passing over an idler sprocket 55 mounted on the platform edge. Rotation of sprockets 48 and 45 is in l to 1 ratio.

Shaft 49 with its sprocket and roller, is adapted to be rocked on another shaft 5| by means of a link 52. This rock is under control of a screw adjustment 53 (Figure 1) comprising a screw stem and knurled lock nut therefor by which the height of friction feed roller 35 over raceway 3! can be regulated. Said screw adjustment is mounted on a sleeve 54 thru which shaft 49 passes and shaft 5! is also provided with a sleeve 540 (Figure 1). The sleeve 545i is part of a block 546 mounted on the platform 2! and supports the shaft 5!. The opposite ends of the shaft 5! extend from the sleeve 545 and have mounted thereon, the links, arms or brackets 52, of which there are two. The links extend rearwardly and downwardly from sleeve 54 and receive opposite ends of the shaft 55. Preferably the links are free to move on the shaft 5! and a suitable set screw 54?, carried by sleeve 545, secures the shaft 5| from displacement relative to the sleeve 54! An oil cup is shown at 548.

A spring 54!, under platform 2i tends to hold shaft 49 and related parts down as far as the screw adjustment 53 will permit. Any suitable arrangement may be employed for yieldingly supporting the shaft 49 for limited oscillation of shaft 49 about the shaft 5| as an axis. As shown herein, the spring 54!, disposed below the platform M is coiled about a pin 542 and has its upper end in abutment upon the under face of platform 2| and has its lower end in abutment upon the nut 543 adjustably mounted on the threaded lower end of pin 542. The pin 542 extends through an opening 544 in the platform and has a transverse aperture in its upper end whereby to receive and pivotally attach the pin to a stud 545 carried by the housing or casing comprising the sleeve 54. The opening 544 in the platform is sufficiently large to avoid binding of the pin 542 upon the walls of such opening and so as not to interfere with the rocking motion of the shaft 45 on shaft 5!. Altogether this assembly constitutes a means for adjusting after wear has reduced the diameter of the feed roller and is readily accomplished from above.

On the right side of the raceway is a coin width adjustment screw 55 which is a knurled vertical screw, a laterally slidable width plate 55, forward and rear guides 51 and 58 respectively, for the slidable width plate, a lateral slot 55 in the width plate, thru which screw 55 extends; and a sup porting strip 55 to provide an upper bearing for screw 55. At the right hand edge of width plate 55 there is a raised coin stop 5i so shaped that a coin may be held by it while the width plate is slid to the left until the coin edge comes in contact with the right hand edge of supporting strip St. The raceway, which is controlled by width strip 56 in use, will be then just wide enough to handle coins of the width used to adjust.

Raceway 3| extends from the throat of hopper 32 as far back as disc 28 and it is controlled as to width by the pressure of width plate 55 on a curved finger 52 thru a guide 53 which is attached by screws to width plate 56 the point of regulation being a contact between stationary cam edge 54 on guide plate 58 and a rounded spur or lobe 65 on the finger 52. The said finger is pivoted to the guide 63 at 55, a point adjacent to the raceway and near the balance point of said finger. Pressure ample to keep the curved finger 62 in contact with the cam edge 54 at all times, is provided by a leaf spring 5? which extends two ways from a fulcrum 58, this being a screw, while the left end is in contact with guide 63 and the right end braced against a peg 59.

The left side of the raceway 3i is defined in part by the tips of a star wheel it which is tight on a shaft '1 I on shaft ii is a bevel pinion "i2 the function of which is to drive a counter 13 (Figure 1) thru another bevel gear 14 associated therewith. Very little power is required to drive this assembly,

Over the star wheel and also tight therefore the energy of the coins derived from the friction of feed roller 35 is ample to cause a partial rotation of the star wheel thru impingement of a coin on one of its points. This rotation is only enough to bring the next point into position for engagement with the next coin.

To drive the counter is not however, the only function that star wheel Hi must perform. The shaft 7| extends thru a boss 35 and thru platform 2|, and as can be seen from Figure '7, the lower surface of said shaft bears a small radial lug it at the edge thereof the purpose of which will shortly be explained, and the edge of the shaft bears a single tooth or pawl 'i'l.

Rotatably mounted on a shaft it which is.

mounted in a boss (not shown) on the under side of platform 2i there is a double ratchet wheel 19, shown in Figures 5 and 6 and in dotted line on Figure '7. It consists of two comparatively thin ratchet wheels 8! and 82, having the same numdetent 85 to the left of star wheel H3.

, the teeth of ratchet wheel 8|.

that the teeth of one wheel are opposite the notches of the other.

The entire ratchet assembly now being described has three functions as follows:----

1. To count the total number of coins going thru the raceway 3| with counter 13.

2. To prevent overrun of the ratchet Wheel 19, which would lead to inaccuracy in the count. The mechanism which prevents this is the various parts which engage the teeth of the ratchet wheel.

3. To look the machine after a predetermined number of coins out of a given batch have been counted. This is the function of the stops 8? and of parts to be described, which contact them to lock the star wheel against the passage of additional coins.

What amounts to a fourth function of the machine is the star wheel control which can be seen onFigure 3. This comprises a spring pressed It is pivoted on platform 2| by a screw 85 at a point intermediate of the detents ends. A cam edge 8'3, somewhat hollowed out in its rounded portion, is provided on the left side of the detent and in contact with one point of the star wheel at a time. The leading edges of the star wheel are somewhat longer than the trailing edges. A coil spring 83 attached to a pin 88 and which is attached by its other end to the detent shank 35 below the pivot point 86, keeps the cam edge in contactwith the star wheel.

The function of the detent is to prevent overrun of thestar wheel. After the leading edge of the star wheel ceases to be in contact with the cam edge and the point passes the dead center, detent 85, due to its hollowed cam edge snaps in to the space between the star wheel-points with a velocity greater than the peripheral velocity of the star wheel. The result is an action of positiveness.

The dog shaft H and its downwardly projecting, lug i6 compel the ratchet wheels 6i and ac to move to the extent of only one tooth at the passage of the fifth coin past the star wheel. Dog H on dog shaft ii is therefore adapted to engage the teeth of the upper ratchet wheel Bl while its dependent lug it engages only a notch 90 of another spring pressed detent ill which is pivoted by its end furthest from the notch under platform 2i on boss 6:8 by means of a screw 92. That edge of the detent nearest ratchet wheel 82 bears a single tooth 23 adapted to engage the teeth of that wheel at such times as the dog 17 of pawl on shaft 7! is disengaged from Spring tension to cause tooth 93 to so engage is provided by a coil spring 94 which extends from a pin 95 on the lower surface of the detent to the shaft '38 on which the ratchet wheels revolve and with which a nut 96 is integral. The function of the latter is to rotatably support the ratchet wheels.

As a safeguard against vibration of the ratchet wheels, there is provided a light leaf spring 9? on the same edge of boss 88 that bears the tooth $3. This spring is bent to form a notch 93 which engages teeth 84.

Now describing the means provided to acccm plish the third function, that of locking the mechanism after a predetermined number of coins have been counted, it will be noticed that in Figure 7, the rotation of the ratchet wheel 19 is clockwise. It will also be noticed from Figure 3 that star wheel 10 is five pointed. Since passage of onev coin rotates the star wheel only one fifth of its. segmentaltravel, it. follows that. it

takes. five coins to cause the ratchet wheel to progress one tooth. The stops 83 are therefore,

opposite the teeth and are arranged atintervals of a definite number of teeth. The stops 83 occupy positions on four different circles (Figure 5) and each circle is arranged as follows: the outer one in multiples of five teeth, (to count twenty-five coins) the one second from the circumference in multiples of eight, (to count forty coins) the third row in multiples of ten (to count fifty coins) and the innermost row in multiples of twenty (to count one hundred coins). The total number of teeth on each ratchet wheel is forty. The lock scale may be seen indicated in Figure l on a scale plate 99 the edge of which bears four notches, each one opposite a figure. A rod I on which there is a knurled grip iili is slidable in and out past the notches and bears a pin [82 adapted to be held therein so as to take a reasonable amount of force to slide it to a neighboring notch. Setting the pin in the notch indicating the desired number of coins sets the machine to stop after that number of coins has passed the star wheel as will be explained.

Below platform 2| rod Hi0 bears a stop pin [63 which is adapted to abut against bearing lea in which the rod is mounted and so limit its travel. Rod i053 also is carried at its opposite end in a hole (not shown) through boss 8%. About midway between pin I03 and the hole there is a spring pressed stop lug l 65 in the form of a tooth and is carried in a fork 106 through which the rod I00 also passes and which is tightly mounted on said rod. The coil spring 9 is received in a suitable recess or pocket formed in the lower portion of fork H66 and has its opposite ends in abutment upon the fork ifltand upon the lower end of lug m5, whereby to yieldingly urge the lower end of lug about the pivotal mounting 55%) of the lug on the fork. As a stop approaches the fork :36, the stop contacts the lug 5E5 and moves the lug, against the action of spring to the position shown in Fig. 18. At the end of the fork there is a prolongation id? of one of the tines, which is carried in a slot I88 in the side of a stop lifter Hi9 which is pivoted to the edge of boss 5t so that it may be lifted against spring pressure to disengage stop lug m5 from its usual position in engagement with the top side of ratchet wheel Bi and the stop pins 83 thereon. The spring 568 furnishing the pressure is a coil spring wound about a screw iii) and lies between the lifter IE5 and the underside of platform 2! hence cannot be shown in Figure 7, but is shown in Fig. 17. A slot is provided in lifter N39 to allow partial rotary movement of the lifter about its fulcrum, screw i I3, despite the presence of screw ill). A tab H4 extends beyond the frame of the machine for purposes of easy lifting so that with stop I05 disengaged, pin Hi2 can be set by grip it! to any desired notch, or if continuous ccunting of coins is desired, it can be pulled out beyond the notches and allowed to rest against the uncut edge of plate to at point i It (Figure 1). Such setting places the tooth it? entirely beyond the range of stops 83.

A flange H6 is provided on platform 2i about the area covered by disc 28. At the left side of the machine, this flange is interrupted by the presence of the coin thickness adjustment ii? a finger H3 of which projects beyond the circle defined by flange H6. A thickness gate or gauge H9 projects over disc 28 (Figure 8) and the height thereof over said disc is controllable by the. screw 12% which has a knurled end iii, a

dial I22 and a milled edge I23 thereon. A spring pressed detent I24 pivoted at I25 presses against the milled edge and so preserves the adjustment. A stop pin I26 projects from the milled edge at the zero point of the dial and engages the detent when the gauge reads zero. Its purpose is to provide maximum and minimum stop limits for the screw adjustment. The gate itself may be a flat stamping H9 which is attached by screws to the solid foot I21 of a sleeve I22 in which screw I26 works.

The improved feature of this construction lies largely in having finger H8 project through and beyond flange II6. This enables the flat, sta tionary surface of platform 2| to be used to place the coin upon to be gauged and allows easy manipulation of the coin with the left hand and the screw knob I2I with the right, thus providing an instant correct setting of the gauge for thickness of coin. This feature of the machine is not limited tohaving the screw knob mounted in a flange such as H6. It could be mounted on the platform 2| so that it could be manipulated with the left hand. Finger H8 could project thru the flange and over the disc 26 so that the coin could be laid on the disc and manipulated with the right hand. One end of gate H9 guards the raceway 3| so that coins must pass under it in order to get into the raceway. An upright pin IE9 is provided at the raceway end of I I9 to cover the latter and to bar the way to coins which jump over gate H9.

A chain guard I36 is provided at the right side of the machine to protect the operator.

The machine is operated as follows: The machine is first adjusted to the size of coin to be counted, for its thickness by laying the coin on platform 2| under finger H6 screwing the latter down upon it and then backing off the screw slightly. The raceway 3|, is adjusted for coin Width by placing the coin in the width gauge as shown in Figures 3 and 4 and tightening screw 55. Cam edge 64 then automatically adjusts finger 62 to the proper position. Tab H4 is then lifted, releasing stop tooth I65 and pin I62 is set in the notch indicating the number of coins to be counted, say 25. A few coins are run thru. the machine until tooth I65 encounters a stop as shown in Fig. 18. Tab H4 is then lifted, thus slightly turning the rod I66 and raising the lug I65 above the stop 83, whereupon the lug I65 assumes the position shown in Fig. 19. When the tab H4 is then released, the lug I65 assumes the position shown in Fig. 20 and the stop 63 is then released, tooth or lug I65 being then free to drop into position to engage the next stop 83 on the outermost circle of said stops on the side of ratchet wheel 8|. The heap of coins is then dumped in tray 25, crank 29 actuated to whirl disc 26 and the coins fed by hand from the tray to the surface of disc 28. The disk 28, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, moves in counter-clockwise direc-. tion. There centrifugal force is imparted to them and causes coins to pass through the gate H9 between the left edge of raceway SI and finger 62 and are shot down the raceway under friction feed roller 36 and in impingement with star wheel 16. The relation of the direction of rotation of disk 28, finger 62 and star wheel I6 is such, that the centrifugal force imparted to the coins is exhausted upon finger 62 thus protecting the star wheel and the mechanisms associated therewith, from shock or impact incident to coins entering the raceway while so impelled. The action of the feed roller enables them to rotate star wheel I6 one fifth of a turn for each coin. The feed roller is previously adjusted by means of screw 53 so that setting will take care of many varying thicknesses.

Counter I3 is actuated to register one number by each one fifth turn of the star wheel. A full turn of the star wheel causes pawl shaft 'II to complete one turn, and to allow dog TI and tooth 93 alternately to progress the distance of one tooth on their respective ratchet wheels. After five teeth are so passed, stop tooth I65 will come into contact with the next pin 63 on the outer circle of said pins, thereby locking the star wheel. Meanwhile the counted coins have passed through hopper 32 and have been deposited in a reservoir 33 and therein automatically stacked by gravity. The reservoir is now tilted to the right, sliding a stacked pile of twenty five coins into the operators hand or any special wrapper held to receive them.

The lower end of the screw adjustment 53 comprises a foot 536 preferably provided on its under face with a cushioning pad 53I of rubber or the like which is adapted to be brought into contact with plate 56 or guide 58 whereby to attain the desired vertical adjustment of the having a pair of openings therein, one of said openings communicating with a raceway, a thickness gauge positioned adjacent said openings and disposed above the disk and having an under face in substantial parallelism with the upper face of the disk, and a finger carried by the gauge extending through the second of the openings in the flange, said finger having a lower face disposed at the same distance above the platform as the distance between the disk and the under face of the gauge whereby adjustment of the finger in relation to the top face of a coin disposed on the platform simultaneously effects identical adjustment of the under face of the gauge relative to the upper face of the disc.

2. In, a coin counting device the combination of a platform having a horizontal upper face, a revolubly mounted disk having a horizontal upper face for imparting centrifugal force to coins disposed thereon, a flange on the platform extending about the disk and having a coin outlet therein, a vertically adjustable thickness gauge positioned adjacent to and in advance of said outlet and having a horizontal under face, and a finger on the gauge extending over the platform and having a horizontal under face spaced from the horizontal upper face of the platform at a'distance identical to the distance at which the under face of the gauge is spaced from the horizontal upper face of the disk whereby adjustment of the finger in relation to the top face of a coin disposed on the platform simultaneously effects identical adjustment of the under face of the gauge relative to the upper face of the disk.

3. The combination with a coin counting device comprising a rotatably mounted disk, means for rotating the disk, a flange extending around the disk for retaining coins on the disk and having an opening therein through which opening coins may leave the disk, means defining one side of 'a raceway communicating with the opening in the flange and through which raceway coins may pass from the disk, guide means providing a channel extending laterally from the raceway and disposed across the raceway from said means defining one side of the raceway, a cam formed on said guide means, and a width plate adjustable in said channel and relative to said guide means for varying the width of said raceway, of a coin receiving pocket carried by the width plate, a fixed member with which a coin, received in the pocket, may contact for controlling the width of the raceway, and a finger forming a forward portion of the raceway, pivotally mounted on the width plate, extending over the disk for directing coins from the disk into the raceway and yieldingly engaged with the cam on the guide means for varying the position of said finger incident to adjustment of the width plate.

4. In combination with a coin counting machine, an adjustable width gauge, guides for said gauge, one of said guides forming a cam, a coin deflector pivoted to said width gauge and provided with a heel engaging said cam, of means for receiving coins of variable diameters for establishing various adjusted positions of the gauge and of the deflector.

5. In combination with a coin counting machine having a rotating centrifugal disk, a raceway leading from the disk, a feed roller for feeding coins along the raceway and means for counting coins passing along the raceway, of a width gage adjustably mounted adjacent said feed roller, a pair of guides for said gage, a coin stop on one of the guides, said gage and the coin stop on said one of said guides providing cooperating means for receiving coins of various diameters for establishing various widths of the raceway, one of said guides provided with a cam face, and a deflector extending over the disk, pivoted to said gage, and provided with a heel co-acting with said cam face for adjusting the position of the deflector relative to the disk and the raceway in conformity with other width adjustments of the raceway.

CLEMENT L. DOWNEY. 

